Incompertus Fatum
by VoldiePoo
Summary: AU- what if harry remembered the mirror before he had the vision? what would have happened? read on to find out!(not quite pg-13 yet, but will be later for violence and or gore. and scary stuff.) yah...
1. Canis Sidis Vivo

**Chapter one**

Diclaimer-

**_I own nothing in here_**

**_ Iwill try to make it clear_**

**_ It all belongs to J.K the Great and the Warner Bros too_**

**_ Her ideas i have only borrowed, altough quite a few_**

**_ So, please, sue me not_**

_** For if you do, you will not recieve a lot.**_

this story is an alternate ending to ootp, and takes off from page 724, paragraph six, and  
is right after professor McGonnagal gets stunned during the astronomy O.W.L, Hagrid runs off, and the Gryffindors are back in their common room.  
  
It was nearly four in the morning before the common room cleared. Harry felt wide awake- the image of Hagrid sprinting away into the dark was haunting him. he was so angry with Umbridge he could not think of a punishment bad enough for he, although Ron's suggestion of having her fed to a box of starving Blast- Ended Skrewts had its merits.  
  
He fell asleep contemplating hideous revenges, and he thought of what the Marauders would have done in a situation like this. then, his thoughts roamed to Sirius. once asleep, he dreamed of the day they left Grimauld Place last time, he remembered Sirius giving him that package... he had never gotten around to opening it.  
  
Harry awoke dying to know what Sirius had given him. he rushed over to his trunk, and riffled through its contents until he came upon a small brown package.  
  
"what's that?" Ron asked, standing over Harry's shoulder.  
  
"its something Sirius gave me the night we left, after Christmas. I had forgotten all about it!  
  
he quickly unwrapped it-, which didn't take long for it was badly wrapped- and examined the object that lay  
  
revealed his palm. it was a small mirror, looking dirty and old. Harry held it up to his face and  
  
saw his own reflection looking back at him. He turned the mirror over. there on the reverse was a scribbled note from Sirius.  
  
_This is a two-way mirror. I've got the other.  
  
if you need to speak to me, just say my name  
  
Into it; you'll appear in my mirror and I'll be  
  
able to talk to you in yours. James and I used to use  
  
them when we were in separate detentions._  
  
"woah... cool.." Ron muttered, after harry showed him what Sirius wrote.   
  
" maybe he'll know if Hagrid's all right" harry mused. fingering the edge of the mirror.  
  
"well, you have plenty of time, mate, next exam isn't 'till the afternoon." Ron said, glancing at  
  
the clock.  
  
"right...well, hope this works!" Harry squinted at the grubby mirror in his palm, and Ron sat down next to him, also peering into the mirror.  
  
"Sirius?" said Harry hopefully. "are you there?" he waited for an answer, and after half a minute, which seemed like hours, Sirius' face appeared in the mirror.  
  
"Harry?" he asked "what is it? Harry jumped a bit at hearing Sirius' voice.   
  
" woah...cool, it does work!" exclaimed Ron, excitement crossing his face  
  
" Hey, Sirius, do you know what happened to Hagrid?" Harry asked.  
  
"yeah, I heard about what happened. Remus said he is probably hiding in the mountains or something."  
  
"so he is alright?"  
  
"yeah, don't worry about it too much, Harry. you need to concentrate on your O.W.Ls! is there anything else you wanted?"  
  
"oh, no, I guess I had better study up a bit, we've got History of Magic this afternoon"  
  
Sirius winced in sympathy  
  
"ok, kiddo, remember to contact me if you need anything. Good luck!" and with a little wave, Sirius faded from sight.  
  
Ron looked at harry.  
  
"that could come in handy if you are attacked or something... you should carry it with you" he said. His stomach growled  
  
"c'mon, Harry, lets grab some breakfast before I starve to death" Ron got up and went to the door, and Harry followed  
  
"if you die, you won't have to suffer through any more exams, Ron!" Harry joked  
  
"you have a point there, mate" said Ron, in mock seriousness. the two headed down the stairs, in the direction of the Great Hall. They soon spotted Hermione behind a huge book, reading as fast as possible. Harry and Ron sat on either side of her, and grabbed themselves some food. Harry leaned over and prodded her in the shoulder.  
  
"hey! Hermione!" her whispered sharply in her ear. she tore her eyes from the book she was reading, and looked at him  
  
"what?" she asked, irritated. Harry and Ron then told her about the mirror Sirius gave harry, and what he said about Hagrid.  
  
"Ron's right, Harry. that mirror could be dead useful. do you have it on you?" she whispered over the edge of her book.  
  
Harry nodded in response.  
  
Harry would have much liked to go back to bead right after breakfast, but he had been counting on the morning for a spot of last- minute studying, so instead he sat with his head in his hands by the common room window, trying not to doze off as he read through some of the notes stacked three- and- a- half feet high that Hermione had lent him.  
  
The fifth years entered the Great Hall at two o'clock and took their places in front of their overturned examination papers. Harry felt exhausted. He just wanted this to be over so that he could go and get some sleep. Then tomorrow, he and Ron were going to go down to the Quidditch pitch- he was going to have a fly on Ron's broom and savor their freedom from studying...  
  
"Turn over your papers," said Professor Marchbanks from the front of the Hall, flicking over the giant hourglass. "You may begin..."  
  
Harry stared fixedly at the first question. It was several seconds before it occurred to him that he had not taken in a word of it; there was a wasp buzzing distractingly against one of the high windows. Slowly, tortuously, he began to write an answer.  
  
Think, he told himself, his face in his hands, while all around him quills scratched out never-ending answers and the sand trickled through the hourglass up front....  
  
Just as his mind began to lead him down the cool dark corridor to the Department of mysteries, the sharp edge of Sirius' mirror poked into him, jerking awake. he looked down on his pretty much answer-less paper, and inwardly groaned. he new he couldn't possibly remember all the names and dates, so he turned back to his old remedy; making it up. 'oh, well, at lest I tried' he thought to himself. as he scribbled his last answer, Professor Marchbanks told everyone that the time was up. the room let out a collective sigh, and the students drained out of the Great Hall. Harry saw Ron and Hermione waiting for him at the end of the stairs. Ron's face was slightly grey, but standing next to him, Hermione was smiling in relief.  
  
" How do you think you did, Harry?" she asked.  
  
"couldn't remember the dates or anything, so I sorta.. guessed a bit." Ron looked relieved, probably because he did the same thing.  
  
"well, no worries, mate, the History of Magic O.W.L is pretty pointless..." Ron reassured Harry, who at the moment was looking quite exhausted. "you need some rest, Harry, it looks like you haven't slept in ages"  
  
"yeah, lets head back to the common room" put in Hermione, temporarily letting Ron's comment about the test slide.   
  
The three Gryffindor's trudged up the stairs in silence. after saying the password, harry staggered up to his dorm, plopped into his bead, and fell asleep, robes and all.  
  
_{insert Voldemort-induced vision, page 726 -american hardback version-. i do not wish to write it all...}_  
  
Harry hit the ground and awoke, still yelling, his scar on fire, as the dorm erupted around him.  
  
"HARRY!" Ron's face appeared, pale and worried. "what happened? was someone attacked?" harry sat up, and pressed his hands over his scar.  
  
"Sirius! he...he's got him... in the Department of mysteries... Voldemort was torturing him..." Ron gasped at Harry's words.  
  
"are you sure? I mean... can you tell if it is real? like with what happened with dad?" Ron asked slowly, unsertain panic rising in his eyes.  
  
"I'm pretty sure... hey, waitaminute, maybe he has the mirror on him! I can see if he's ok!" harry fundeled in his pockets until he came across the mirror. bringing it up to his face, he said   
  
"Sirius? are... are you there?" his voice shook with anticipation. he let out a sigh of relief as Sirius' face faded into view.  
  
"harry? is something wrong? what happened?" he asked, obviously worried by the tone of Harry's voice.  
  
"I-I saw Voldemort...he was...well...torturing you...but-you don't look like it... you are all right, aren't you?" Harry peered into Sirius' face, looking for sings of pain. Sirius looked confused.  
  
"tortured? no, I haven't been tortured, haven't even left Grimauld place for months! Voldemort was probably trying to lure you out of Hogwarts... you should tell somebody, harry"   
  
"but who? Dumbeldore's gone...and Hagrid-"  
  
"what about professor McGonnagal? we could talk to her, and just pretend we are visiting her in the hospital wing" Ron commented.  
  
"yeah, Ron you're right! well, we better go, Sirius! be careful, I wouldn't want my dream to come true!" Harry and Ron got up from their spots on Harry's bed, an rushed down the stairs to the common room. they immediately spotted Hermione sitting in a squishy armchair near the fire, her eyes closed and her head resting on her shoulder.  
  
"Hermione" Ron whispered urgently, prodding her shoulder. she opened her eyes, and looked up at them, confused.   
  
"whu...Ron? harry? what is it?" harry and Ron then told her what happened in hushed voices, making sure none of the few people left in the common room could hear them. when they finished, Hermione leapt to her feet.  
  
"what are we waiting for?" she hissed, rushing out the portrait hole, earning a flabbergasted 'hey' from the Fat Lady. the trio ran down the corridors, tripping over a few first years that were heading down to the great hall. they finally reached the hospital wing, panting, and flung open the doors. Madam Pomfrey, who had been organizing bottles on a shelf near the far side of the room, let out a shriek. "what in Merlin's beard do you think you are doing?" she looked down at them disapprovingly. "what have you done this time?" she looked at harry when she said this, obviously thinking he had injured himself again. it was Hermione who piped up, regaining an innocent posture.  
  
"we wish to speak with professor McGonnogal." she looked around at the beds, trying to find the professor, but having no such luck. harry was also looking, and seeing her not there, asked  
  
"where is she?" Madame Pomfrey sighed.  
  
"she was transferred to St.Mungo's this morning. four stunning spells straight to the chest at her age? It's a wonder they didn't kill her."  
  
"she's...gone?" said Ron, stunned  
  
"yes, Mr. Weasley, and I suggest you leave too, I have patients here!" madam Pomfrey turned her back on them, and continued her work at organizing various potions on the shelf.  
  
"I guess there is nothing else we can do. c'mon, harry" Ron said, seeing his friends face fall "I heard Seamus and dean are planning some big end-of-exams party." Ron took Harry's shoulder, and steered him out the door, Hermione following behind them.  
  
"yeah, harry, maybe the party will ease you mind a bit..." she added hopefully. the three walked back to the common room, passing a few people sneaking food from the kitchens on their way.  
  
"don't stay up too late!" the Fat Lady told them when they reached the portrait hole. just as he was about to say the password, Harry's scar erupted in pain.   
  
"well, something has really pissed him off this time" he mused, before falling into darkness.

Authors Note-

More to come, I promise! the quicker you review, the quicker I write!


	2. Oraculum Patesco

_ Chapter Two_

Disclaimer: see chapter one

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry came to consciousness lying on the ground in a long corridor. He sat up. Had he been here before? He looked around the hall a bit, trying to remember.  
  
Then it clicked. He was in the Ministry of Magic. He had been dreaming about this corridor for months. He stood shakily to his feet, and looked down. What he saw made him jump. _His feet weren't there!_  
  
-_Oh_-he thought -_I am probably not actually here_. -  
  
_Creak_! The door at he end of the corridor opened, and about five cloaked people entered rather quickly, arguing amongst themselves.  
  
"He wasn't there, Wormtail! Why was he not there?" said one, sounding like Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"I-I don't kn-know!" said another figure, quivering with fright."  
  
"You _DID _tell that dratted house-elf of the Dark Lord's plans, didn't you? He was supposed to tell Potter his Godfather was gone! If you didn't-" Lucius yelled at Wormtail, pointing an accusing finger. "The master will NOT be pleased with you!"  
  
"I t-told him! I swear!" Wormtail looked around at the Death Eaters surrounding them, trying to get some support. None came.  
  
"Our Master needed Potter to come here so he could get the Prophecy! Now, that he is not here, what are we to give? The Dark Lord does not like failure!"  
  
There was a small pop behind where Harry 'was' and he turned to see what it was. It was Voldemort, who was looking at the cowering Wormtail with fury. Harry's scar was on fire, but he just shoved the pain out of his mind. This was too important to miss.  
  
"Where is he?" the Dark Lord hissed, his snakelike white face with pit- less red eyes surveying his followers.  
  
"He did not come, My Lord" Lucius told him.  
  
"**WHAT**?" Voldemort spat "why not? My plan was _foolproof_!" Wormtail stepped forward.  
  
"C-could you get the Prophecy yourself, M-my Lord? I-I mean, since you are h-here and all?" Wormtail flinched when Voldemort glared at his question.  
  
"Of _course _**I** can, but then the Ministry will know I took it, meaning I am alive, and we wouldn't like that now would we? Anyways, I was planning on getting rid of Harry Potter tonight, _along _with hearing the full prophecy." Voldemort paused, thinking. "But, if the wizarding would learnt of my existence, there _would _be panic and chaos**...** maybe it is time I revealed myself." He started walking towards the door the Death Eaters had just come through. "Show me the way" Wormtail lead Voldemort down the passage, and a few minutes later, Harry found himself in that odd room with the shelves full of small, dusty, glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Wormtail started to move down the shelves, until he got to row ninety-seven, just a little way down. He pointed at one of the orbs.  
  
"Here" he said, "this is it" Voldemort's eyes glittered with anticipation as he looked at the dusty orb. Intrigued, Harry stepped closer for a better look. Under the orb was a yellowish label, affixed to the shelf. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that_:  
  
**S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D  
  
Dark Lord  
  
And (?) Harry Potter**_  
  
Harry starred. -_Whuthe? _- He thought, confused.  
  
"Ahhhh, at last. The _Almighty _Prophecy!" Voldemort reached out, and took the glass ball in his hand. "And now- the moment of truth" he pulled out his wand, and tapped the orb once.  
  
At first, Harry thought nothing would happen, but then, the room went quiet, and a voice, sounding a lot like Professor Trelawny's when she made that prediction third year, came from the orb, chanting softly:  
  
**_"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the dark lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."  
  
_**The room was silent. Voldemort put the orb into his robes, and turned towards the door.  
  
"Interesting...very interesting...come, lets go!" he gestured for his followers to come with him. "Time to make my presence known to the wizarding world..." he cackled evilly. "To the main hall! Cause as much damage as possible!" at that, Voldemort and his death eaters apparated away, taking Harry with them.  
  
They popped in to the grand hall right in front of the golden fountain Harry remembered seeing when there for his trial. Around them, people screamed at the sudden arrival of the Dark lord.  
  
Harry looked around at all the startled witches and wizards standing frozen at the sight of the world's most evil person: Voldemort. At the moment, the Dark Lord was signaling to his followers to secure the exits. Harry turned in time so see Fudge floo out of the emerald green flames of one of the fireplaces.  
  
"_Wha_-?" he stood flabbergasted, eyes flickering over the Death Eaters, and finally resting upon Voldemort himself. His face paled. Two Death Eaters stepped up behind him, and took hold of his arms.  
  
"Our master wishes to speak with you" one hissed. They brought him to the fountain, where Voldemort was standing regally.  
  
"Ah, Minister Fudge" he smiled. "I have so much to thank you for." Fudge looked frightful confused, wondering what Voldemort was thinking about.  
  
"Y-you d-do?" he asked, uncertain if the Dark Lord was just playing with him or not.  
  
"Why, yes, of **course**! Were you not the one who refused to believe that fool Dumbeldore that I was back? Which lead to my being able to operate without any problems at all? And, were you not also the one who made him leave his pathetic school, go into hiding, and thusly keeping him from messing up my plans? You also are the very person who appointed that useless teacher for the Defense Against The Dark Art position, in which case made all the students unable to defend themselves?" Fudge started to tremble with fear. "Wasn't it you who removed all the Proper teachers from Hogwarts, so now I could walk in there right now, and no one will be able to do anything? Hell, you convinced practically the whole bloody wizarding world that Harry Potter, the only being on earth, who can kill me, was a dangerous, crazy, stuck-up show off? Because, as much as I hate to say this, he was trying to tell you the truth? Yes, Mr. Fudge, I thank you. Without you and your stupidity, I might not be as far as I am." Voldemort smiled, and turned to face his followers. "Don't kill him, yet. I want him to see what he has created." he then started to laugh, that high-pitched evil laugh. "Now, you all can have some fun!" the Death Eaters joined in his laughter, and turned their wands at the people inside the Ministry of Magic.  
  
Harry saw, almost in slow motion, as the Death Eaters started to throw curses.  
  
"**No**!" he yelled, throwing out his hands. Miraculously, the curses froze in mid-air. Harry could feel them straining to fly to their targets. He concentrated, trying to tun them around, so they could hit their casters instead. Just as he felt himself start to pass out at the strain, he let go. The curses fired at the Death Eaters, knocking most to the ground.  
  
"_WHAT_?!" Voldemort bellowed. Harry's scar seared in pain, and he was panting from the effort it took to do what he did. Voldemort turned of Fudge, clearly thinking he had somehow got some protection spell in place. "I have changed my mind, I think you will die, **NOW**!" Voldemort turned around, to face the Minister, and pointed his want at Fudge's chest. "Farewell, dear Minister..." Fudge screwed his eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable.  
  
"**_AVADA KEDAVRA!" _**

-Authors note-

Sorry its so short, I didn't have much time to write it all, so I thought to just end it here. more is one the way, tho, I promise! Many thanks to wierdochelle, MY FIRST REVIEW!!! gives huggels **_thanks so much!_** (actually, at the moment, the ONLY review) cries

Reviews, even flames are welcome! And wanted!


	3. Dissimimilus Termus

Chapter Three  
  
Disclaimer- See Chapter one.

**_"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_**   
  
Somewhere, deep within the depths of the Department of Mysteries, a room opened.   
  
Harry saw the green light blast towards Fudge, and the next thing he knew, he was running, to stand right in front of the blast. At first, he felt nothing when the green light hit him right in the chest, but then, a sudden felling of agony, much worse than he had ever felt, almost like millions of knives were tearing through his body and mind, filled him.   
  
Voldemort saw his killing curse fly towards the doomed minister, and stop mid- air. It shaped itself in a way that is seemed like there was a person standing there, before it faded.  
  
"How...?" Voldemort was at a loss. Nothing could block an Unforgivable! He was searching the spot where his curse was stopped, trying to come up with an answer. Then, to his amazement, and everyone else who could see, a drop of blood fell to the ground. Then another. And another.  
  
Harry felt a deep gash on his chest where he killing curse hit him, and it was bleeding freely. He saw with horror that the blood actually fell to the ground, for everyone to see. _But... how can that happen? I'm not here!_ He thought desperately. But he thought no more, as the pain he felt before surged back through him, more powerful than before. He wished that the green light had just killed him. It was overwhelming him. He couldn't even scream his agony. Then, something in his mind snapped, and everything went dark.  
  
The dark lord was furious.  
  
"**WORMTAIL! LUCIUS**!" he screamed in fury "_COME HERE, **NOW**_!"  
  
Wormtail scooted forward, terrified.   
  
"Y-yes M-m-master?"  
  
"This is all your fault! YOU did this, didn't you? Probably switched sides didn't you? I always thought I couldn't trust you. Well, now you will pay!" Voldemort pulled out his wand yet again. "And you, Lucius, did not that house- elf come to your place? Why did you not tell it then!"  
  
Lucius Malfoy twitched, nervous. "I did, my lord-" Voldemort pointed his wand at both of them.  
  
"Yourgonnakillme?" Wormtail whimpered.  
  
"Ooooh, no! Of course not!" Voldemort smiled.  
  
"Really?" asked Wormtail hopefully.  
  
"Oh, what I'm gonna do is much worse!" The dark lord spat at his worthless follower. "I'll let these people, who think you are dead, deal with you. They will know what you have done. Won't be too happy, now will they? And you, Lucius, you they will find guilty of the crime you were first commited of."  
  
Wormtail had a look of horror on his face.  
  
"N-no! Master! P-please!"  
  
"Hope you like Azkaban, Peter!" Voldemort grinned evilly. "STUPEFY!" After Wormtail's limp body fell to the ground, with Lucius' right next to it, Voldemort held up a hand, and he and all his Death Eaters dissapeared.  
  
Back at Hogwarts, Harry came to lying down, on a bed, wrapped tightly in sheets. He tried to open his eyes, but groaned instead.  
  
"Harry? Are you awake?" a voice that sounded like Hermione's said.  
  
Harry finally succeeded in opening his eyes, and saw the blurry figures of Ron and Hermione sitting beside the bed.  
  
"Wha-what happened?" Harry croaked. Hermione and Ron's faces were contorted with worry.  
  
"That's what we would like to know. You have been here for three days, but this is the first time you woke up." Hermione said.  
  
"All we know is some vague details the Daily Prophet wrote about." Ron added, handing the newspaper to Harry. Harry put on his glasses, and looked down at the head page.  
  
_ He-Who-Must-NOT-Be-Named Returns  
  
In a brief statement Friday night, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned to this country and is active once more.  
  
"It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard stylizing himself Lord- well, you know who I mean- is alive and among us once again." Said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters. "It is with equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministries employ. We believe that the dementors are currently taking direction from Lord- Thingy."_  
  
Harry skimmed the rest, not really caring what it said.  
  
"Hey, what about Wormtail? How come there is nothing here on him?" Harry glared at the paper.  
  
"Well..." Hermione started " you see, they aren't done questioning him. The Ministry refuses to acknowledge the fact that he is Pettigrew until they are 'positively sure'"  
  
"Harry, don't think about it too much. You need your rest. You got hurt pretty bad, you know" Ron said.  
  
Harry noticed for the first time a thick bandage wrapped around his chest, and a dull ache that occupied every part of his body. He was also very tired.  
  
"Dumbledore said after you rest up a bit, he would come to see you." Hermione got up, Ron following her. "We said we would tell him when you wake up." she looked a little sad at having to leave. Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to bustle into the room, arms laden with potions.  
  
"Good, you're leaving. Young Mister Potter needs his rest. Now, _SHOO_!" She waved he free hand at Hermione and Ron.  
  
"See you later, mate" Ron said, before the two left out the door.   
  
Madam Pomfrey looked down at Harry, and huffed, muttering about students who injure themselves way too much.  
  
"Here, drink this." She handed Harry a bottle of an odd colored potion. "It's a mix of a few different things, and will make you tired, but it works."  
  
Harry took the bottle from her, and downed it in one gulp. He immediately felt the tiredness creeping on him, and his eyes started to droop. His head fell against the pillow, and he went into a comfortable slumber.  
  
When he awoke again, he saw the cheery face of Albus Dumbledore leaning over him.  
  
"Ah! Mister Potter, you are awake at last." He said. "I believe there are some things you want to discuss with me?"  
  
"Yes, Sir... about... the prophecy-" Harry started.  
  
"Hmm, the prophecy. I trust you heard the whole thing?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Well, yes, but... what did it mean?"  
  
"It meant" said Dumbledore "that the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July, nearly sixteen years ago. This boy would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times."  
  
Harry felt as though something was closing in apon him. His breathing seemed difficult.  
  
"It means-me?"  
  
Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment through his glasses.  
  
"The odd thing is, Harry" he said softly, "that it may nit have meant you at all. Sibyll's prophecy could have applied to two wizar boys, both born at the end of july that year, both of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix, both sets of parents having narrowlly excaped Voldemort three times. One, of course, was you. The other was Neville Longbottom."  
  
"But then... but then, why was my name on the prophecy and not Neville's?"  
  
"The official record was labled after Voldermort's attack on you as a child," said Dumbledore. "It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecy that Voldemort could only have tried to kill you because he knew you to be the only one to whom Sybll was referring."  
  
"Then-it might not be me?" said Harry.  
  
"I am afraid," said Dumbledore slowly, looking as though every word cost him a great effort, "that there is no doubt that it _is_ you."  
  
"But you said-- Neville was born at the end of July too-- and his mum and dad-"  
  
"You are forgetting the next part of the prophecy, the final identifying feature of the boy who could vanquish Voldemort... Voldemort himself would 'mark him as his equal'. And so he did, Harry. He chose you, not Neville. He gave you the scar that has proved both blessing and curse."  
  
"But he might have chosen wrong!" said Harry. "He might have marked the wrong person!"  
  
"he chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger to him," said Dumbledore. "And notice this, Harry. He chose, not the pureblood (which, according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing), but the half- blood, like himself. He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you, and in marking you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you powers, and a future, which have fitted you to excape from him not once, but four times so far-something that neither your parents, nor Neville's parents, ever achieved."  
  
"Why did he do it, then?" asked Harry, who felt numb and cold. "Why did he try to kill me as a baby? He should have waited to see weither Neville or I looked more dangerous when we were older and tried to kill whoever it was then-"  
  
"That might, indeed, have been the more pratical course," said Dumbledore, "except that Voldemort's information about the prophecy was incomplete. The Hog's Head Inn, which Sybll chose for its cheapness, has long attracted, shall we say, a more interesting clientele than the Three broomsticks. As you and your friends found out to your cost, and I to mine that night, it is a place where it is necer safe to assume you are not being overheard. Of course, I had not dreamed, when I had set out to meet Sybll Trelawny, that I would hear anything worth overhearing. My-our-one stroke of good fortune was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short was into the prophecy and thrown out of the building."  
  
"So he only heard...?"  
  
"He only heard the first part, telling of the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. He did not know you would have 'power the Dark Lord knows not'-"  
  
"But I don't!" said Harry in a strangeled voice. " I haven't any powers he hasn't got.... I don't think... do I...?"  
  
"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries," said Dumbledore, "that is keeped locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and terrible than death, than human intelligence, than forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious os subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you posess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you there, without your body."  
  
Harry closed his eyes, remembering the rest of the prophecy. Harry asked, without caring much about the answer, "The end of the prophecy... it was something about...'neither can live...'"  
  
"'....while the other survives,'" said Dumbledore.  
  
"so," said Harry, dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of dispair inside him, "so does that mean that... that one of us has got to kill the other one... in the end?"  
  
"Yes." Said Dumbledore. "And now that Voldemort has heard the full prophecy, he knows. You have got to be more careful than ever." 

- AUTHOR"S NOTE-

Well, here is another chapter of my story! Wahoo! I try to update every other day... so far I am doing good!

-reviews- **hpstoryguy, insanechildfanfic, krissy riddle, lady phoenix slytherin, and lady riddle: **thanks! Your reviews mean a lot to me!-gives huggles-


	4. Inasnum Mentis

disclaimer-see chapter one

------------------------------Chapter Four-----------------------------------

Harry still felt a little confused after his talk with Dumbledore, but that was to be expected. He was a little unsure as to why he could block the killing curse and not die- along with turning around those other spells... but exhaustion and the throbbing pain were creeping upon him again, so he decided to leave those thoughts for later contemplation. He lay back on the pillows, and went back to sleep.  
He woke up feeling energized. Harry looked out the window, and saw that, by the way the sun was shining, it was around noon. Madame Pomfrey bustled through, once again carrying an assortment of potions.  
"Here, Mr. Potter, you will need to take these," she said, handing them to her. "You will need to stay in bed for the rest of the day, and if you do, you can go down to dinner tonight." Harry nodded, and drank his potions. "And I believe you have some visitors." at that, she left the room. Hermione and Ron rushed through the door, and looked relieved to find him awake and sitting up.  
"Harry! How are you feeling?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to Harry's bed, Ron plopping down on her on her other side.  
"Better than before..." Harry said, not really wishing to state the fact that his wound had never stopped hurting since he came to the other day.  
"That's good. Did Madame Pomfrey say when she was letting you out?" Ron asked.  
"Yes, she said I could go to dinner tonight, if I stayed in bed all day." he decided to temporarily forget that the reason for this was that his wound seemed pretty immune to all she was giving him, so it was pointless for him to stay cooped up in the hospital wing.  
"Great!"  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione chatted for a while about mundane things, none really wanting to discuss what happened at the Ministry of Magic.  
  
Soon, it was time for Harry to leave the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey said she had sent some potions up to his dorm for him to take before bed, and after he woke up on the morning. Ron and Hermione were going to be waiting for him in the common room, they told him.  
Tenderly, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood up. He swayed slightly, and was surprised at how weak he was. After steadying himself, he pulled some robes over his head, and headed out the door in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.  
"So the great Harry Potter has returned." Harry heard the familiar sneer behind him. He turned around and came face- to- face with Draco Malfoy.  
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry, asked, irritated. He didn't have the energy to deal with nuisances like Malfoy at the moment.  
"You're going to pay for what you did to my father, Potter." He hissed.  
"Oh really?" Harry didn't seem the least bit worried. "Look, do you mind if I could pay later, I am a bit busy at the moment."  
Malfoy looked like he wasn't going to be too enthusiastic to oblige to Harry's request. "Feeling tired, Potter? Well, then, I have just the thing for you..." he said. He whipped out his wand, and pointed it straight at Harry.  
"MORSUS!" Malfoy cried. Harry felt a slight pain wash over him, but it was nothing compared to the cruciatus or what he felt when he stood in the Killing curse.  
Harry looked calmly at Malfoy, and smiled. Malfoy stood, stunned that his spell had absolutely no affect on Harry whatsoever. Harry suddenly felt something in his mind, almost like what he felt right before he blacked out at the Ministry of Magic. He laughed. He had no idea why, but just laughed a crazy, insane sort of laugh. Malfoy and his cronies looked a little scared at the sight of their enemy standing there, laughing after he had been cursed.  
"What's going on here?"  
Professor McGonagall had just stumped up the stone steps into the castle. She was carrying a tartan carpetbag in one hand, and leaning heavily on a walking stick with her other, but otherwise looked quite well. Harry stopped laughing, and looked at her. The odd feeling had left his mind.  
"So they let you out of St. Mungo's, Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked.  
"Yes, Mister Potter. I'm quite as good as you. I hope you and Mister Malfoy here haven't been fighting now have you?" she surveyed them with a knowing eye.  
"No, Professor." Harry said, glaring at Malfoy.  
"Well," she said, "I suggest you both go to your respective common room. Especially you, Mister Potter."  
Harry nodded and turned down the corridor, leaving Malfoy behind him. 'What happened just there?' he asked himself. He had never before felt that oddness in his mind. It gave him the urge to laugh at the world, at things that weren't remotely funny. It made him feel... separate, somehow. All emotion and coherent thought seemed to drain from him, leaving him, well, crazy.  
Harry stopped himself there. I am not crazy! He told himself. He pushed the thoughts away, and concentrated on getting back to the common room, which proved to be a daunting task. He leaned against the wall outside the Fat Lady's portrait a bit, to catch his breath. After he had stopped panting, he said the password and entered the common room.  
As soon as he entered, all conversation was hushed. He saw people staring at him, no doubt having heard many wild rumors as to why he had been in the hospital wing. Unfortunately for him, a bit of the bandage wrapped around his torso was just visible over the neck of his robes, which would probably as a result lead to even crazier ideas. He looked around the common room, and spotted Ron and Hermione rushing towards him.  
"Harry!" Hermione said, "Did you make it here alright?"  
"Ran into Malfoy, but Professor McGonnagal appeared before anything happened." Harry mumbled, not really wanting to go into detail, worried they would think him some sort of madman.  
"She's back?" Ron asked. "Well that's good..."  
"Hey, Harry, why don't we sit down?" Harry was relieved that Hermione suggested this, he didn't know how long his legs would hold out if he stood for much longer. The trio sat down in a rather secluded corner of the common room.  
"So, whets been happening while I was out?" Harry asked.  
"Well," said Hermione, "not much, although it's been much better since Dumbledore came back."  
"Yeah, but there have been some pretty wild rumors going around about what happened to you to get you in the Hospital wing," Ron put in, "There was this one where you almost got eaten by a crazy escaped Blast-Ended Skrewt..."  
Harry grinned. He knew that was the reason people stared at him when he entered the common room. Although, he did notice some people looking oddly at his head. Not at his scar, but more of his hair. "Why are people looking at my hair?" Ron and Hermione shared a glance. "Well..." Hermione held out a pocket mirror to him. He took it and peered at himself.  
"What the?" he saw that right above his right ear was a small streak of white hair. He put his hand up to brush the streak. He turned his head, and saw a few more strands of white in the hair at the base of his neck, luckily not clumped together to make visible streaks. "How...?" He was completely bewildered.  
"Dumbledore said it was from blocking the killing curse," said Hermione. She looked at him sadly. Ron was silent. Harry glanced out the window, and saw people flying around the Quidditch pitch. He had the sudden urge to fly.  
"Hey, Ron" he said "Does you offer to let me have a go on your broom still stand?" Ron brightened at his words.  
"Oh! We forget to tell you- you ban has been lifted! Your broom is on your bed, I think!"  
"Great! Care for a spot of flying?"  
Hermione looked disapprovingly at them. "Harry, are you sure you should? I mean, you just got out of the Hospital Wing!" Harry, who had a sudden burst of energy at the thought of flying, smiled at her.  
"Don't worry, Hermione, I'm fine! Really!" Hermione rolled her eyes, and huffed something that sounded like 'boys'. Harry and Ron took that as the ok to go, and raced up the stairs, although rather slowly, for Harry was still not fully recovered. They entered the dorm, and harry saw his Firebolt glistening magnificently on his bead. He walked over and carefully picking it up, rubbing the wood handle.  
A few minutes later Harry found himself in the air, gracefully swerving around the goalposts, his heart filled joy.

--------AUTHORS NOTE-------

Heh... this is pretty short, but I had this crazy urge to do another chapter... in the future, I am hoping to have longer chapters....hopefully.....

morsus: latin for a biting or stinging pain

**Mayleesa:**thankies for the review!! ::does happy dance::

**Lady Riddle:** he he he... there will be more on our ratty 'friend' next chappie!!


	5. Exitus ut Taedium

Disclaimer-- see chapter one!

AUTHORS NOTE--- I am in terrible need of a Beta! I don't have one! ::sniffle:: e-mail me if you are interested, please!!! ::puppy-dog eyes:: _PLEASE?_

-----------------------------------------Chapter Five -----------------------------------------  
  
The few days left before summer passed all too quickly for Harry, and before he knew it, he was riding in one of the carriages with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna towards the Hogwarts Express. When they got to the train, they soon found an empty compartment near the end, and they all sat down.

Harry looked out the window and sighed. He hated leaving Hogwarts. He knew he had to suffer through at least a month of living with the Dursleys because the Ministry was stalling at sentencing Pettigrew and declaring Sirius's innocence. He was vaguely aware of the conversation going around him, but he wasn't in a mood for socializing, so he was content to just gaze out at the scenery whizzing by.

The ride was pretty uneventful, except some DA members coming around to chat, and halfway through the ride, who else should show up but Malfoy.

"Well well well, if it isn't crazy Harry Potter and all his little friends, enjoying their ride home." Malfoy spat, while Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly.

Harry turned his gaze from out the window, to glare at Malfoy. "Why don't you go tease some first years or something, _Malfoy_." Harry droned. He was getting a little annoyed at Malfoy's constant insults. "Your insults are getting a _little _bit old." Harry calmly drew out his wand.

"Oh, really? Well, boys, I think maybe we should leave, to leave these fools in peace." Malfoy turned to go. "You know, Potter, I'm surprised they haven't committed you to St.Mungo's yet, I never knew they would let _**insane**_ people go to school." He shrugged, "But seeing as Dumbledore is a little off himself, it makes a bit of sense." He gave the group one final sneer, and left.

"Well," said Hermione "that was odd. Harry, what on earth was he talking about?" Harry's face was pale.

".... Nothing..." he muttered. He was **NOT **going mad.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, not really believing him, but she decided to interrogate Harry later.

few Exploding Snaps games later, the train pulled to a screeching halt and the Hogwarts Express started to empty. He, Ron, and Hermione got off, and passed through the barrier to the muggle world. When he went through, however, he found a surprise waiting for him on the other side: a group of people standing there to greet him whom he had not expected at all.

There was Mad-Eye Moody, looking quite as sinister with his bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye as he would have done without, his gnarled hands clutching a long staff, his body wrapped in a voluminous traveling cloak. Tonks stood just beside him, her bright bubble-gum pink hair gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the dirty glass station ceiling, wearing heavily patched jeans and a bright purple T-shirt bearing the legend THE WEIRD SISTERS. Next to Tonks was Lupin, his face pale, his hair graying, and wearing a long and threadbare overcoat covering a shabby jumper and trousers. At the front of the group stood Fred and George, who were both wearing brand- new jackets in some lurid green, scaly material.

"Ron! Ginny!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying foreward and hugging her children tightly. "Oh, Harry dear- how are you?"

"Fine" lied Harry, as he was pulled into a tight embrace. Over her shoulder, he saw Ron goggling at the twins' new clothes.

"What are they supposed to be?" he asked, pointing at the jackets.

"Finest dragon skin, little bro," said Fred, giving his zip a little tweak. "Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves."

"Hello Harry," said Lupin, as Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry and turned to greet Hermione.

"Hi," said Harry "I didn't expect… what are you all doing here?"

"Well," said Lupin with a slight smile, "we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home.

"I dunno if that's a good idea," said Harry at once.

"Oh, I think it is," growled Moody, who had limped a little closer. "That'll be them, will it, Potter?"

He pointed with his thumb over his left shoulder; his magical eye was evidently peering through the back of his head and his bowler hat. Harry leaned an inch or so to the left to see where Mad- Eye was pointing and there, sure enough, were the three Dursleys, who looked positively appalled to see Harry's reception committee.

"Ah, Harry!" said Mr. Weasley, turning from Hermione's parents, whom he had been greeting enthusiastically, and who were taking turns to hug Hermione. "Well—shall we do it then?"

"Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur," said Moody.

He and Mr. Weasley took the lead across the station toward the place where the Dursleys stood, apparently rooted to the floor. Hermione gently disengaged herself from her parents to join the group.

"Good afternoon," said Mr. Weasley pleasantly to Uncle Vernon, coming to a halt right in front of him. "You might remember me, my name is Arthur Weasley."

As Mr. Weasley had single-handedly demolished most of the Dursley's living room two years previously, Harry would have been very surprised if Uncle Vernon had forgotten him. Sure enough, Uncle Vernon turned a deeper shade of puce and glared at Mr. Weasley, but chose not to say anything, partly, perhaps, because the Dursleys were outnumbered two to one. Aunt Petunia looked both frightened and embarrassed. She kept glancing around, as though terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant, a feat at which he was failing extravagantly.

"We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Harry," said Mr. Weasley, still smiling.

"Yeah," growled Moody. "About how he's treated at your place."

Uncle Vernon's moustache seemed to bristle with indignation. Possibly because the bowler hat gave him the entirely mistaken impression that he was dealing with a kindred spirit, he addressed himself to Moody.

"I am not away that it is any of your business what goes on in my house—"

"I expect what you're not away of will fill several books, Dursley," growled Moody.

"Anyway, that's not the point," interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia more than all the rest put together, for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. "The point is, if we find you've been horrible to Harry—"

"—and make no mistake, we'll hear about it," added Lupin pleasantly.

"Yes," said Mr. Weasley, "even if you won't let Harry use the fellytone—"

"_telephone_," whispered Hermione.

"Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to," said Moody.

Uncle Vernon swelled ominously. His sense of outrage seemed to outweigh his fear of this bunch of oddballs.

"Are you threatening me, sir?" he said, so loudly enough that passerby turned to stare.

"Yes, I am," Said Mad- Eye, who seemed rather pleased that Uncle Vernon had grasped this fact so quickly.

"And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?" barked Uncle Vernon.

"Well…" said Moody, pushing back his bowler hat to reveal his sinisterly revolving magical eye. Uncle Vernon leapt backward in horror and collided painfully with a luggage trolley. "Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley."

He turned away from Uncle Vernon to survey Harry. "So, Potter… give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along…"

Aunt Petunia whimpered piteously. It could not have been plainer that she was thinking of what the neighbors would say if they caught sight of these people marching up the garden path.

"Bye, then, Potter," said Moody, grasping Harry's shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand.

"Take care, Harry," said Lupin quietly. "Keep in touch… and remember to take your potions…"

"Harry, we'll have to take you away from there as soon as we can," Mrs. Weasley whispered, hugging him again.

"We'll see you soon, mate," said Ron anxiously, shaking Harry's hand.

"Really soon, Harry," said Hermione earnestly. "We promise."

Harry nodded. He somehow could not find the words to tell them what it meant to him, to see them all ranged there, on his side. Instead, he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around, and led the way out of the station toward the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley hurrying along in his wake.

  
  
--------------------------------------------------(One week later)---------- ------------------

Melissa stepped out of the car, and surveyed her new house. Number Five Privet Drive was a quaint little house, almost exactly the same as all the other houses in Privet Drive. She sighed. The only reason they moved over here was because her dad got transferred to Surrey's branch of Tanaby's Law Firm. Her dad had a very boring job, in Melissa's opinion, but her dad just loved it, and since they moved over here, he got to be in a higher position. Her mother didn't work, but had many hobbies. Melissa didn't really mind moving to Surrey, since she had lots of friends who lived nearby, but she felt kind of strange in this new place. Privet Drive was full with the nosy sort of people that Melissa hated. **_Oh well _**she thought. **_I'll live, I guess...  
  
_**Harry Potter was leaning against the window, watching the people across the street move into Number Four. Downstairs, his Aunt Petunia was peeking through the curtains, wondering if they should invite the Connalls, their new neighbors, over to dinner.  
"Oh, I think it'll be just lovely if they could come to dinner, don't you think, Vernon?" Harry heard his aunt say. "We would be the first to meet them! And it will save them the hardship of having to cook on their first night here!" Vernon just grunted in reply, not looking up from the newspaper he was reading. "Oh, yes, I think I'll go ask them right now!" Harry watched as she went outside, and started chatting to the neighbors. He sighed, and turned away from the window, as a new wave of pain radiated from the deep gash on his chest. It had not healed yet. Harry had got a letter just the other day from Dumbledore saying that if it didn't start to heal in a few weeks, Harry was to be sent to St.Mungo's to have it looked at. He had not told Ron or Hermione about this, though. He didn't want them to have to worry.

Harry walked over to the mirror on the door of his wardrobe, and peered at his reflection. For the last week, Harry had been trying to grow his hair longer, in the hopes that the white would grow out. He remembered that haircut incident when he was young and he was able to make it grow then. At the moment, his hair was a bit longer, just enough to be tied back. Harry noticed that when his hair was longer, its weight made it not stick up as much, and when he tied it back, it didn't stick up at all. He also noticed that the white strands did not grow out. **_Darn.... _**He thought to himself **_at least it no longer sticks up, though... _**He sighed again, running a hand over the thick bandage wrapped around his chest. He knew it wasn't going to heal. If anything, it was getting worse. Every day, he would be slightly weaker. That didn't really matter much, as Madame Pomfrey had stocked him with enough energy potions to last him the summer. He didn't exactly look healthy either. His face was pale and gaunt, almost like how Sirius looked when he got out of Azkaban, and he had heavy circles under his eyes, from lack of sleep. Harry had been reading late into the night, trying to learn every spell possible, so he could be ready the next time he and Voldemort came face- to- face. One thing that helped greatly was that he was allowed to do magic over the summer. Apparently, the Ministry of Magic decided he needed to protect himself more than the average under- age student, so they registered him as an of- age wizard early. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone. So, naturally, he owled Hermione and Ron as soon as he read the letter. Harry was proud to say that he had gotten quite good at transfiguration over the summer, due to his newly acquired of- age status.

Melissa saw the strange boy in the window turn away, right before she got a good look at him. He was over at Number four, but they way Mrs. Dursley was talking, the only beings who lived there where her, her husband, and their 'charming' sun, Dudley. Something intrigued her about him, for some reason. All she saw of him was that he had black hair, was probably about her age, and wore glasses. She made a mental note to ask of him later.

That night, Melissa and her parents went over to Number Four to dine with her neighbors. Both her and her parents disliked Petunia Dursley, but it would have been rude to decline her offer. Once inside, Melissa knew she would like them even less. Everything was surgically clean. Too clean. Unnatural, really. She also noticed that there were only six places at the table, not seven. _**What about that boy? **_She thought to herself. **_Doesn't he need to eat too?_** She heard Vernon Dursley talking upstairs, in a hushed, but harsh voice. Melissa strained to hear what he was saying. "You are not to do any funny stuff, _you hear me_? Or else you won't leave the house all summer! Stay in your room, and _be quiet _until they are gone. Then you can eat." She heard him say. "Yes, Uncle Vernon..." She barely heard the boy grumble. _**soooooo**_, she thought _**he is their nephew**_? _**Why doesn't Vernon want him to bee seen by us**_? Melissa heard her mother call her into the dining room, forcing thoughts of the boy out of her mind.

After dinner was over, and her parents were having tea with the adult Dursleys and Dudley went off to have 'tea' with friends, Melissa snuck away, with the excuse of needing to use the loo, her mind bent on meeting that mysterious boy. She walked up the stairs to where she heard Vernon Dursley talking. She was just outside the smallest bedroom of the house, and the door was slightly ajar. She poked her head in cautiously, and what she saw made her blink. This room was way different from the rest of the Dursley residence. There were books and paper strewn all over the floor, along with what looked like feathers. And, even more odd, there was a cage sitting on the desk near the window, most likely for a large bird of some sort. Her eyes then fell on the bed. The strange boy was lain across it haphazardly, and there was a large book laying on his chest. **_Must have fallen asleep... _**she mused to herself. **_He looks quite ill, though... maybe that's why they didn't want him down there... _**the boy stirred slightly, and Melissa remembered that she was not supposed to be up in his room. She quickly scurried down the stairs, and walked back into the living room to 'enjoy' some tea.

Harry awoke the next day feeling terrible. He knew why. He fell asleep reading, and forgot to take all his potions. He groaned, rolled over, grabbed a few bottles on the table beside his bed, and drank them. Harry waited a few minutes for the effects to kick in. After he felt the energy potion start to work, he got up out of bed, and wandered over to the window. He realized he must have slept in, for it was quite bright outside, and all the neighbors were milling about in their yards, enjoying a beautiful summer day. He looked at his arm, and was reminded at how pale he was getting**_. I need to get out more... _**he thought, deciding to go on a short walk around the neighborhood. Grabbing a piece of toast on his way out, Harry stepped out into the fresh air.

Melissa was hanging out with three of her friends from the area, enjoying the sun in her front yard.  
"Soooooo, Melissa, how do you like Surrey so far?" her friend Cate asked. Her other friends leaned in to hear her answer.  
"Well, it's alright, I guess..." she said, "the Dursley's are kinda...iffy... though." Holly, another of her friends, nodded in sympathy.  
"Yeah... I went to primary school with Dudley, and his cousin, Harry." she said. At the mention of the cousin, Melissa turned to face Holly, excited.  
"Really? You did? What was he like?" She asked eagerly.  
Holly shrugged. "I don't really know. Dudley would always beat up anyone who was friends with him, so nobody ever got to know him..."  
"Well," said Vickie, a friend sitting to the right of Holly, "I heard he was dangerous. He goes to St.Brutus's!" the other girls all looked shocked.  
"No way!" Melissa exclaimed.  
"Well, you could ask him right now, there he is!" Cate pointed to Number Four, where Harry had just walked out the door. Melissa signaled to her friends, and they all walked over to him.  
"Hey! Harry! Wait up!" she called to him as he started to walk up the street. He stopped and turned around, confused as to who in Privet Drive would want to actually speak to him. As hid did, Melissa got a good look at his face.  
"oh my...look at his hair!" Holly whispered into Melissa's ear. At the moment, Harry's hair was pulled back behind his head, and Melissa could see strands of white in his otherwise jet-black hair.  
"He is kind cute..." Cate commented.  
  
Harry turned around when someone called his name. _**Why would someone want to talk to me? **_he thought, confused. He saw that girl who moved in across the street standing, with a small group of friends, who were whispering amongst themselves. Melissa shushed her friends, and walked up to Harry.  
"Hi!" she said "My name is Melissa! I just moved into Number Five. These are my friends: Holly, Cate, and Vickie." she pointed to each girl in turn. Harry inclined his head slightly.  
"Pleased to meet you." he said politely.  
"Going anywhere in particular?" Melissa asked.  
"Not really. Just trying to get out of the house for a bit" He answered. Just then, Holly looked at her watch, and swore.  
"Oh, darn! I forgot I told my mom we would meet her at the park!" she said. "I'm sorry, Mel, we gotta scram!" She and the two other girls dashed off, waving to Melissa as they went, leaving her and Harry alone on the sidewalk.

-------------------------------------AUTHORS NOTE--------------------------------------

Yet again.... a short chapter.... longer than the other ones, but still not quite as long as I like... oh well. Once school is out, I will have more time to write longer sturf..... and yah! Oh, for those who are wondering.... **_MELISSA WILL NOT BE A LOVE INTEREST FOR HARRY!!!_** They will be friends however...

**Lady Riddle-**THANKS SOO MUCH!! You are soo nice! ::sniffels:: oh, and I do try to review at least one story of every person who reveiws mine....and yah......oh, and I decided not to put what happened to Wormtail in this chapter for reasons later to be revealed...**:**D

**Mayleesa-** He he he....thankies! Reviews make me so happy ::cries in happiness::

**Prophetess Of Hearts- **Oh, I will! Thanks a bunch for reviewing! ::huggels::


	6. Veneficus

-----------------------------------Chapter Six----------------------------------------------  
  
** - Disclaimer-**

Oh, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley,

Hermione and the lot,

How terribly much I wished to own them,

How very sad it is I do not.

So try and sue me if that will please you,

And tell me I plagiarize,

Then you will see I wrote this poem,

To get rid of any lies.

This whole thing does not, cannot,

And will not belong to me,

So any money you ever get

Will never come from me

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sooo, Harry, where do you go to school?" Melissa asked, walking alongside Harry.  
"Er, a boarding school," He sad. "Up north..." he decided he would not lie and say he went that school the Dursleys told him to.  
"Really?" Melissa said, surprised. "I heard you went to St.Brutus's..."  
Harry just laughed. So the Dursley's had tried to tell the new neighbors he was some sort of hardened criminal.  
"I take it your relatives don't like you much." Melissa commented. "Heh, that's an understatement!"  
"Hey, I should probably be getting back to the house, but I was thinking we could maybe hang out sometime? Most of my friends live out of Surrey, and the few that live close are always busy... and I will probably die of boredom without someone to talk to..."  
Harry looked at Melissa, surprised. "Um... ok, I guess..." He said.  
"Great! Well, I gotta go, so see you around!" Melissa waved as she walked back to her house. Harry smiled and waved back, before turning around to continue his walk.  
  
He wandered for a while, thinking. He knew that there were hard times ahead. He was quite lucky that Voldemort had not started attacking people last year, and he wished that it would be the same this year, but he had little hope. He needed to be prepared... and since he could do magic, he could learn more than if he couldn't. He had mailed Florish and Blotts and asked if he could order books from them, and found out he could, although there was a small fee. He had ordered a bunch of books on defense magic, charms, potions, and even a book of householdy spells. He thought that he could maybe do something about his patchy, oversized, hand-me-down clothes.  
  
After Harry was done with his short walk, he went back to his room, mind set on doing some magic. He picked up the book for household spells, _A how-to handbook of useful spells for the home By Zarinaa Tonosa_. He opened in, and riffled through its pages, looking for a spell so he could tidy his room. He vaguely remembered the spell Tonks had done to pack his trunk, and wondered if there was something like that for room cleaning. The third chapter seemed promising-cleaning up with quick an easy magic- and opened up to the page. Sure enough, the first passage was on organizing clutter. **_-clutter-_**

_For organizing a messy room, or just picking up after parties or energetic children, the (clean) spell is just the thing to use. It is fairly easy, and not much magic is required. All one has to do is have an image in your mind of what the place looked like clean, with everything in its place, give your wand a flick over the area you wish to tidy, and say tersus in a commanding sort of voice. The first few times you attempt the spell might just cram stuff into the proper places rather messily, but with practice, you can have every room in your home looking spotless. After time, some people have no need to say the incantation at all, and just doing the wand motion gives the same results. For the beginner, it is suggested to do small areas first.  
  
_Harry got out his wand, and looked at the instructions one more time. concentrating on a clean room, he flicked his wand, and commanded "Tersus!". He felt the familiar thrill that he got every time he did any magic, even the simplest of spell, ever since he blocked that killing curse.  
To his amazement, all the clutter in his room went to its respective places, making his room look as clean as the rest of the Dursley residence.  
"woah...." he muttered, pleased that he had gotten the spell right on the first try. He was pretty confident he could do it without saying the words. Then, and idea started to form in his head. Could he do that with other spells? Just using the wand motion? After all, they rarely used incantations in Transfiguration, so why would he need it for other spells? If he learned how to do magic without words, it would be extremely useful for dueling. He decided to do some experimenting, starting with simple spells, like Wingardium Leviosa and the like. Harry stood in the middle of his room, wand in hand, with a few books he was going to try to levitate without saying anything. Concentrating, he fixed his gaze on the stack of books. He flicked his wand at them, imagining the books hovering in the air. The books started to levitate, rather wobbly, but it was good for his first try.  
  
A few hours later, Harry flopped on his bed, exhausted. He had mastered the levitating charm, the unlocking charm, summoning, banishing, and had even managed to turn an old shirt into a rather sinister looking pair of robes. He had actually been trying to summon it, but for some odd reason he thought of robes when he looked at the shirt, and instead of flying into his hand, it turned into some robes. He then tried doing the same thing, intentionally, on a pair of old shoes, thinking of boots. They had shifted into a pair of black combat boots. He made a mental note to try and make them a little less gothic sometime, but for then, they would have to do.  
After he downed a few potions, Harry laid his head down, and fell asleep.  
  
The courtroom was full of people, and Harry immediately recognized it as the same one his trial was held in. This time, there was a small, balding man sitting in the chair instead of him. It was Wormtail. Harry listened carefully, and realized the trial was coming to an end.  
"Peter Pettigrew, you are hereby sentenced to life in Azkaban."  
Harry's heart leapt. If Pettigrew was going to Azkaban, that meant Sirius was free! Harry could finally rid himself of having to live with the Dursley's. Although, that could just be a dream, and Pettigrew might not actually be going to Azkaban, so Harry decided to write Sirius later to find out.

He awoke the next day feeling very cold. And weak. Harry reached over to put his glasses on, and found out he barely had the strength to move his arm. When he finally got his glasses on, he drank an energy potion, but it helped little. Just then, he heard a hoot coming from the other side of the room.  
"Hedwig!" Harry had sent her off with letters to the Order, Ron, and Hermione, telling them he was doing alright, and by the looks of things, they had written back.  
He grabbed the first letter. It was from Sirius.  
  
_Harry, I have some good news... **I"M FREE! **The ministry finally gave Pettigrew a trial, and sent him to Azkaban. Then, they gave me a trial, with veritaserum, and proclaimed my innocence. They also gave me quite a bit of gold to keep me from complaining about being in Azkaban, which will come in handy for the Order.  
  
_Harry grinned, knowing his dream was true_.  
  
In about three days, a couple members of the Order and I will come and rescue you, so be ready!  
Dumbledore just told be about what happened at the Ministry of Magic. Maybe when you come here, you will heal properly. That's actually the main reason Dumbledore is letting you come at all, really. He believes that if there are people to watch you and make sure you are taking your potions and such, then you might heal quicker. And don't tell me you're fine, I saw your handwriting on that letter you sent. Your handwriting may be usually a little sloppy, but not that horrid. After you get here, Dumbledore said he would send the school nurse over to take a look at you.  
see you soon,  
Sirius  
_Harry put down the letter with mixed emotions. He was happy that he would get to see Sirius, but that would mean Sirius would see how sick he was, and poor Harry would be confined to bed for who knows how long.  
He picked up the other letters, and skimmed through, not really wanting to take the time to read them. They were full of the usual 'stay out of trouble' and 'be careful' stuff he was always sent. Oddly enough, he didn't feel any anger at the lack of information, as he did last year, and just set the letters down on his desk. He stroked Hedwig fondly, while thinking. He had three days until he went to Grimmauld Place. He hoped he would look a bit better by then, as not to worry Sirius.  
He decided to study for the rest of the day to pass the time, and finish what little homework he had left. Harry walked over to his bedside table, where he had a book on apparition. Since he was Of Age, that meant he could learn to apparate, something he was much looking foreword to doing. He remembered the incident when he was young, where he somehow appeared on the roof of his old primary school, and was pretty confident that it counted as apparating. He read through the directions, and decided to give it a try. Of course, even if he could do it, he would need to get a license, but he would think of that later.  
He walked to the far side of his room, and stood still. The book said to visualize where you wished to go, and concentrate. Harry closed his eyes, imagining himself on the other side of the room. Then, with a small popping sound, he found himself standing right in front of the door, exactly where he was visualizing**. _I thought apparating was supposed to make a loud crack _**he thought.  
He went back to the other side of the room to try it again, to see if he wasn't just getting beginners luck or something, but halfway there, he was engulfed in pain from his chest, and everything fell into darkness.  
  
---------------------------- AUTHOR"S NOTE---------------------------------  
  
Once again, the chapter is short. But, school ends tomorrow, so I'll get more time to write nice, long chapters. And I am thinking of starting an after- Hogwarts story, since I really like to read those, but can never find much of them... what do you think? Should I?  
  
**The Vampire Story Hunter**- thanks a bunch for reading my story! Glad you liked it! Have a piece of toast. ::gives piece of toast:: I like toast..... 

**Englishgirl**- Thankies! ::huggels::

**Mayleesa**- he he he... I couldn't think of a name for her, so I decided to take inspiration from the names of the reviewers...and wahoo! Have some more nosh! ::gives large bottle of brandy::

**Lady Riddle**- sorry they aren't together, but I've always thought of Harry as the bachelor type. Don't know why...and you will see the answer to your question once Harry leaves for Hogwarts... ::shifty eyes:: bwa ha ha ha ha!

**Krissy Riddle**- Thanks for reviewing! ::huggels::


	7. Reverti Atrum

Chapter Seven

A/N: **_IT"S FINALLY HERE!! _**My hand has healed enough for me to type.. I actually had more than this, but I did not feel like editing it all and putting it up with this one.

Disclaimer: See chapter Six or Chapter One.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------****

"HARRY! Harry? Wake up!"  
Harry blearily opened his eyes, and squinted at the face hovering anxiously above.  
"S-Sirius?" He croaked. Sirius was kneeling next to him. "What are you doing here? You said you won't come for three days..." Harry said, confused.  
"It's been three days, Harry."  
"_WHAT? _No way!" Harry exclaimed, and sat up from his place on the floor. He vaguely remembered the sharp pain in his chest, and blacking out... but for three days... 'Maybe getting checked over won't be such a bad thing...' he thought.  
Sirius saw his amazement at it being three days, and asked how long he had been lying on the floor.  
"Erm...I dunno...?" Harry muttered, adverting his eyes so he was looking at the floor.  
"Come on Harry, lets get you to Grimauld place," Sirius said, standing up, "Then we can get you looked over by Madam Pomfrey." He looked at Harry, who was still sitting on the floor. "Can you stand?"  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course I can stand!" He grumbled. But it was easier said than done, for when he stood up, the room began to spin dangerously, and he felt his knees buckle. Luckily, Sirius caught him by the arm before he fell to the floor, and helped him over to his bed, where he sat down.  
"I'll get your stuff, then we can go." Said Sirius, looking worriedly at Harry. "Tonks, Moody, and Remus are waiting for us downstairs."  
Harry nodded. When his mind registered what Sirius said, he remembered that he could get his stuff on his own. He then flicked his wand at his stuff, and it all piled neatly into his trunk.  
"Woah...where did you learn to do that?" Sirius asked, surprised.  
"Book." Harry answered, not really having the energy to elaborate. Sirius noticed, and nodded. He flicked his wand at Harry's trunk, and Hedwig's cage, making them float a few feet from the ground. He grabbed Harry's arm, and helped him stand.  
"Are you up to walking?" he asked.  
Harry, who was feeling weaker and weaker every second, shook his head, knowing it was useless to protest and say he was perfectly fine, when it was so blatantly obvious he was about to keel over any moment. Sirius looked even more worried at this, because Harry would usually try to walk, but now him actually admitting it meant something was seriously wrong. He slung Harry's arm around his neck, and with the trunk and cage floating behind them, he helped Harry walk out of the room. They walked slowly down the stairs, and into the hall below.  
There standing in the hall, their backs turned, were Tonks, Moody, and Lupin, all talking amongst themselves. They all turned around when they heard Harry and Sirius reach the last step. Lupin and Tonks both looked considerably worried when they saw the state Harry was in, and Moody looked thoughtful. Moody took something out of his pocket, which looked like a small box.  
"You all ready?" He asked. They all nodded. He opened the box, and inside was a small silver ball. "Just put a finger here..."  
They all placed a finger on the Portkey, and Harry once again felt the familiar pull behind his navel, and before he knew it, he was standing in the hallway of number 12 Grimauld Place. If it wasn't for Sirius' supporting arm, he would have collapsed on the spot.  
"Oh, Harry dear! Whatever happened to you?" he hear Mrs. Weasley screech in alarm from the doorway into the kitchen, most likely from seeing him still being supported by Sirius. However, he was feeling too groggy now to respond, so he twitched his eye instead.  
"Let's get him upstairs," Lupin said. "So he can rest until Poppy comes."  
Sirius nodded, and carefully picked Harry up, sensing he no longer had the strength to walk, even with support, and began to carry him up the stairs.  
"Goodness, he's so thin..." Mrs. Weasley breathed as Sirius walked past with Harry in his arms.  
Harry barely registered Sirius picking him up, as his chest wound began to burn painfully. He just gazed blankly off into space as Sirius carried him up the stairs.  
Sirius noticed Harry's eyes glaze over, and quickened his pace. He opened the door to the room Harry stayed in last summer, walked in, and set Harry gently on the bed.  
There were three other people in the room, sitting on the other bed with their backs turned away from Harry and Sirius, all talking in hushed voices. One of them shushed the others, and turned around.  
"Oh, _Harry_! Sirius, what happened to him?" Hermione squeaked her face pale.  
"His wound isn't healing... it's just getting worse." Sirius said, gazing sadly at Harry's still form.  
"What? He never said anything about that to us..." Ron turned to face Sirius.  
"He probably didn't want to worry us..." Ginny commented, a far- away look in her eyes.  
  
Harry was in a dark stone room. There was a chandelier on the ceiling that gave off an eerie green light. He looked around, and saw a couple of people in black robes, all gathered around a high- backed throne.  
"My lord, are you certain your plan will work?" Harry recognized the voice of his most hated professor, Severus Snape.  
"Of course it will, Severus. Don't question me. _**CRUCIO**_!" Snape fell to the floor, withering in agony, but didn't scream.  
"Are all the ingredients gathered?" Voldemort asked the other figure.  
"Yes, my Lord. They are ready to be brewed." The slimy voice of Lucius Malfoy answered.  
"Excellent. Severus, you shall stay here to brew the potion. Tell the muggle- loving fool you are on vacation or something. You shall not speak with _anyone _while you are making the potion." the Dark Lord hissed. "I wouldn't want your concentration broken, and the potion failing. You know how much I _despise _failure."  
Snape got up from the floor, and bowed.  
"Yes, my Lord. As you wish." Snape kneeled and kissed the hems of Voldemort's robes, then got up and swept from the room.  
  
"Mr. Potter! Wake up!"  
Harry blearily opened his eyes, and the spinning face of Madam Pomfrey swam into view.  
"We need you awake to figure out the problem." She said calmly. Harry nodded, and looked around. He was in the bed he used the last summer. Sirius, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, and Moody were all standing in the room.  
Madam Pomfrey helped Harry sit up, and with a flick of her wand his shirt and the bandages beneath were removed. Seeing the still open, angry wound, she hissed in sympathy.  
"Looks no better than the last time I saw it." She said. She turned around, rummaged around in a bag on the bedside table, and turned back with a small bottle in her hand.  
"Drink this." She handed Harry the potion.  
He took it, and drank it quickly. It was cold, yet warm when it went down his throat. He immediately felt loads better, and felt energy course through his tired limbs.  
Madam Pomfrey poked his wound with her wand, while muttering spells under breath, before she wrapped it with bandages once more.  
"Well, that's all I can do for now," She said to the group of people waiting the room. "I don't know why it hasn't been healing on it's own... if it doesn't start healing soon, I'm afraid Mr. Potter here will have to be taken to St. Mungo's."  
Mrs. Weasley paled.  
"_St-St. Mungo's_? Is it really _that _bad?" She asked anxiously.  
"It is. Mr. Potter is also in a lot of pain from it, most people would have gone mad a long time ago if they were in his position." she sighed.  
The room shared a collective glance.

Harry was watching the adults muttering amongst themselves, but he wasn't really listening. something about the vision he had was bugging him.  
"Where is Professor Snape?"  
Everyone in the room turned to stare at him.  
"Professor Snape is out at the moment, on vacation, Mr. Potter..." Madame Pomfrey said, slightly confused at why Harry cared where Snape was.  
"He's... gone...?" Harry's face paled. Just then, his scar burned with pain, and all he saw before he blacked out was a glowing green skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. 

----------------AUTHORS NOTE--------------------------

Sorry for the delay! Will update quicker now that hand is healed! ( I shut it in the car door)

Sabrina: Thanks fer the review! I'm glad you liked me story.

Kahlan: I try to post every other day, but my hand was injured, so that was why I have not posted for like, a week.

**Wierdochelle**: I'm writing as fast as I can!

**BlackHuntress**: Your welcome. I hope you like this chapter!

**Mayleesa**: In the fifth book, it said that there was a loud cracking noise when Mundungus Fletcher apparated away from privet drive... so I think it applies to all wizards.. I'm not quite surer tho.

**Who wants to know?**: **::**blushes**::** thanks!

**insanechildfanfic: **I agree. Harry isn't the one to like being confined tho, is he? **::**cackels evilly**::**

**darknessallover**: Here's more! Hope you like.

**The Vampire Story Hunter: _YOU DON"T LIKE TOAST?!!! _**:**:**gasp**::** well, I do happen to have a spot of humus.. **::**gives humus**::**

**Krissy Riddle: **New disclaimer after every five chapters! You can use it in any of your stories if you want... I won't mind!


	8. Actum Curato

_****_

_**Chapter Eight**_

A/N: have decided to only update once a week, 'stead of every other day. Sorry, folkes!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So...it is done."  
"Yes, my Lord. The curse is set. It will lay dormant for a few months, then... he will wish for death before the end."  
"...Excellent... You have done well, Lucius."  
"Um...m-my Lord?"  
"What is it now, Wormtail?"  
"Why can't you just kill him... well...quickly?"  
"Well, just killing him would not give me the satisfaction I need... he deserves what he gets for foiling my plans as long as he has... a nice, slow, painful death..."

"Well, Mister Potter..." The voice of Madam Pomfrey said above his head, " you seem to be healing at last."  
Harry opened his eyes, to see the face of the Hogwarts healer hovering above.  
"If you drink your potions every day, I'd say you have a good chance of being perfectly healed by the time school starts."  
Harry sat up, and looked down. He saw that the thick bandages that used to be wrapped around his torso were gone, replaced by light gauze. He felt healthier than he had in weeks, and his strength was coming back... but something seemed... off. He couldn't place his finger on it, but he felt it nonetheless.  
Madame Pomfrey placed a few potions on the bedside table, told him when to take them, then left the room.  
Harry flopped back down on the bed, going over the recent events in his head. After getting to the Black house, his memory was a blur. He vaguely remembered Sirius carrying him up the stairs... but the rest was faded and distant.  
The door to the room opened, and Ron and Hermione walked in.  
"Harry! You're awake!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing over. "We were so worried!"  
"Yeah, you've been out for a couple of days...Mum's been going ballistic." Ron said, sitting down on the corner of the bed.  
"A couple of _DAYS_?" Harry said, dazed.  
"Yeah, but Madam Pomfrey said you'll be up and at 'em in a while!" Ron reassured.  
"Mmm...." Harry turned his gaze down, so he was looking at his knees. He suddenly didn't really want to talk.  
"Harry...are you hungry?" Hermione asked. "You haven't eaten anything in quite a while... why don't we go down to the kitchen and get some food?"  
Harry considered her words for a moment, and realized he was hungry.  
"...Ok..."  
"Great! Come on, let's go!"  
Harry swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and stood up. He swayed a bit, but otherwise was all right. He followed Ron and Hermione down the stairs, and entered the kitchen.  
"_**Harry**_!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "_You're awake_!" she rushed over and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.  
"Um... mum? No need to squish him." Ron told his mother, who was hugging Harry as if she was afraid that when she let go he would disappear.  
"Oh, right." she let go of Harry. "Sorry dear." She turned toward the table. "Here, I made you some soup. **Eat**!" she pointed at the bowl resting on the table. Harry obligingly sat down at the table, and ate his soup as Hermione and Ron talked amongst themselves. After he was finished eating, Mrs. Weasley took his bowl, put it in the sink, and left.  
Hermione and Ron shared a glance.  
"Harry..." Hermione started "We have an idea, of sorts..."  
"One we think might help..." Ron put in, "With the war and all..."  
Hermione plopped a bunch of old papers on the desk, and Ron placed a rather large book down next to them.  
Intrigued, harry lent closer, and squinted down at the title of the book.  
" _'The Animal Within: a guide to becoming an Animagus'_?" He looked up at Ron and Hermione, confused.  
"Yes... We thought it might be good to have a disguise, just look at how much Sirius' form has helped him!" said Hermione.  
"He'd still be in Azkaban if he wasn't an Animagus... and my dad said that it is harder to find a wizard when they are in an animal form, it messes up tracking spells and the such." Ron added.  
Harry sat for a moment, thinking. Being able to tun into an animal would help him greatly, especially if Voldemort didn't know, giving him a step up. On the other hand...  
"But it's illegal." He said, looking Hermione and Ron in the eyes. "What if we get caught?"  
"If we don't tell anyone, they won't know. If we get caught.... well..." Hermione said slowly, "We'll think of that later."  
"It's not like we would go to Azkaban, anyway," Ron said. "We would just get a fine and have to register ourselves."  
Harry considered it a bit more.  
"What if we can't do it?" he asked.  
"Oh, come on, Harry! If Rita Skeeter could become an illegal animagus, of all people, you can!" Ron looked at him pointedly.  
"And you father could do it, so it gives you a better chance of being able to become an Animagus, Harry" Hermione added.  
"And how, exactly, are we going to do this?" Harry asked.  
"Well, we have all these notes from when the Marauders became Animaguses, and there is this book, which I have flipped through-"  
"Memorized is more like it" Ron interrupted, earning a swat on the shoulder from Hermione.  
"As I was _saying_-" Hermione glared at Ron. "This book has a lot of useful tips and information on becoming an Animagus. And, since you are allowed to do magic, we could start now!" 

"And there is this old sitting room upstairs we could use, and no-one would bother us because it smells kinda funny and everyone avoids it." Ron added.  
"And how long would this take?" asked Harry. "Didn't the Marauders only become full Animaguses after, like, _two years_?"  
"Well, they had to do it on their own," started Hermione. "Without the in- depth information we have. They had never seen an Animagus in action before, and we have countless times... so we have a bit of an advantage."  
Hermione and Ron looked at Harry, waiting for his answer.  
  
"Alright. Let's do it!"

A few hours later, Harry found himself sitting on the floor, while Hermione lectured him and Ron on all the information she had found.  
"An Animagus takes the form of the animal that best suits the witch or wizard's personality," she was saying. "So you can't choose what animal you become, but if you do some analyzing, we might have a good idea of what it would be."  
"That would kinda suck if after years of research and hard work, you turned into something like a flobberworm..." Ron shook his head at the thought.  
"Hey, I was thinking..." Harry mused, "... all the people we have seen become an animal have had non- magical forms. Is it even possible to become something magical, like a unicorn or a hippogriff?"  
"Hmmm...." Hermione flipped through her book. "It says here that it _IS_ possible, but it is very rare for anyone's Animagus form to be magical, and the person would have to be extremely powerful to use their form's abilities even if it was something like a unicorn or a Hippogriff."  
"Right..."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione went into the odd smelling sitting room every day to learn about Animaguses. Hermione had found a few other books about how to become an Animagus, and in one, _'The self-help guide to becoming an Animagus' _by Leonard Hiwett, was a potion that would sow you four possible forms your Animagus could be.  
"It's actually fairly simple." Hermione muttered, looking at the directions. "We have pretty much all the ingredients we need already, and it'll only take about two days to brew."  
"Thank Merlin it doesn't take a month, like the Polyjuice Potion did." Ron said, looking over her shoulder.  
"What happens when it is finished?" Harry asked. "How do we use it?"  
"Well, it says here all you do is put some on a spoon with a drop of blood from the index finger on your wand hand, pour it onto a blank piece of parchment, and it will form the names of the four animals you could turn into." Hermione said, eyes flickering over the page in the book.  
"Well, why don't we get started?" Harry said enthusiastically.  
  
Hermione insisted on brewing the potion herself, so that there weren't any mistakes, and made Harry and Ron go to the other side of the room to practice charms and do homework. Since Ron couldn't do magic outside of school, he decided to get started on his homework, while Harry busied himself with a new dusting charm he had read about in his book.  
So far, he was doing quite well. He mastered the charm using words pretty quick, but when he tried doing it without the words, it seemed to just smear the dust around, instead of removing it.  
"Come on, you can do it..." He flicked his wand at the jar sitting on the shelf. This time, most of the dust went away, but it wasn't quite finished, and left a dirty smear on the surface.  
After a few more tries, Harry finally mastered the dusting spell, and turned back to the book of householdy spells for something else to try.  
  
After a few hours, and lunch, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were back in the room. Hermione had found the two ingredients she didn't have in one of the cupboards, and was back to brewing the potion, which was currently giving of wispy orange smoke. Ron was still doing homework, and he had whole summers worth to complete, so he was not going to be finished anytime soon. Harry decided he had done enough charmwork for the day, and picked up a book on curses he had found on a shelf in one of the rooms a while ago.  
"Hmmmm...." he muttered, looking at one of the spells. "This one looks interesting..."  
  
_The Cultellus Curse: This curse summons usually about ten knives, which fly directly at the target. The Cultellus curse takes only a spot of magic when cast after the curse is mastered, but is fairly hard to master. Many common mistakes result in summoning butter knives, or only two or three, instead of ten. If the wizard or witch casting the curse is particularly powerful, and feeling quite a bit of hate towards their opponent, the knives may become poisoned, and multiply. If the caster concentrates, the knives may also be made to follow the person they are cast at, until they hit, or for a certain amount of time. This spell can only be blocked if the blocker knows how to do the Cultellus Curse the same way as the caster. Once the knives penetrate the opponent or object cast at, they will disappear after twenty seconds unless the caster concentrates on making them permanent when casting the curse.  
  
_Harry looked around for something to cast at, and saw a ragged- looking pillow sitting on a chair on the other end of the room.  
'Perfect' he thought. He strode over to the pillow, and picked it up. He then returned, put a sticking charm on the pillow, and stuck it to the wall. "Okay dokay then..." He muttered, concentrating.  
"_Cultellus_!" he hissed, pointing at the pillow on the wall. Ten blurs flew out of his wand, hit the pillow right in the middle, and fell to the floor.  
Harry walked over to where they fell to the ground, and knelt to examine the knives. "Well, at least my aim was good..." He said sadly, looking at the ten butter knives on the floor." Maybe I just don't hate that pillow enough..." He stood up to try again. This time, he walked a bit farther away from his target.  
'Okaaay... I need to feel hatred...' he thought to himself. An image popped into his mind of when he learnt whom really betrayed his parents. He looked at the pillow, and imagined it to be Pettigrew, and a burning hate welled p inside him.  
"_**Cultellus!" **_He hissed again. Again, he saw the blurs streak out of his and, but this time, it deemed like there were more, and they were going faster. About fifteen or so sinister looking knives were now wedged into the middle of the pillow, the tips buried deep. It looked like there was a slight bit of steam coming from where the knives embedded into the pillow, and on closer inspection, Harry saw the pillow melting away from the blades. A few seconds later, the blades vanished in a puff of smoke.  
"That-" Said Ron, who was watching, "was _cool_."  
  
Harry practiced a particularly difficult shield spell, 'contego', for the rest of the day, and tiredly flopped down into bed after dinner.  
  
"Aaaaah, yes, Mr. Tibbles has arrived!" Said Sirius, rushing towards the door of Hagrid's hut. He opened it to let in a cloaked man, who was quite short.  
"_**YOU KILLED MY SOCK**_!" Mr. Tibbles yelled.  
"Er- excuse me?" Harry was bewildered. Did the man, who looked oddly like Professor Flitwick, just accuse him of murdering a _sock_?  
"I'm afraid you will have to be expelled, Potter." Said Professor McGonnogal, who was standing behind Harry.  
"Yes, and to Azkaban for such a horrid crime." Said Sirius.  
"Oh, _Harry, _how could you? That _poor _sock!" Sobbed a crying Hermione.  
"What? I didn't do anything!"  
"We all saw it. There are many witnesses!" Said Professor Dumbledore.  
"What are you talking about?"  
"It didn't do _anything_ to you!" Hermione continued.  
Dumbledore walked up to him, and showed him a small box. In the box was a sock, severed cleanly in the middle.  
"The young sock didn't even stand a chance..." Ron stated, wiping teary eyes. Harry sat up quickly.  
"Just a dream..." he muttered.  
"You awake?" Ron asked, pulling on a shirt. "Mum came up and said breakfast is ready."  
"Great. I'm starving!" Harry said, hopping out of bed and finding some clothes.  
After the two were dressed, they went down the stairs to the kitchen. Hermione saw them, and walked over.  
"It'll be ready by this afternoon." She whispered. 

---------------------AUTHORS NOTE--------------------

Dn dun dun! Such a horrid cliffie, eh? Well, maybe not. At least this chapter is longer than my other ones!

**Mayleesa**: Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt my hand, I just wasn't paying attention when I closed the door!

**JJ**: Thank you! Heres another chappie for ya!

**The Vampire Story Hunter**: Wha....? ::is confused:: urm... I dunno...

**PadfootsNoxed**: I know, me too! 'tis why I wrote this little fic of mine... ::sob:: poor Sirius...

**SailorC**: Glad you liked!

**Krissy Riddle: **hopefully this one is nice and longer...ish..

**Lady Riddle**: it tells in the first few chapters why he isn't dead.... must've slipped your mind.

**insanechildfanfic**: Thankies!

**BlackHuntress**: Hopefully, you will like this one....


	9. Quartus Formo

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: see chapter One or Six

A/N: sorry for the delay, but it's finally here!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Harry and Ron stared at her.  
"Really? So soon?" Harry asked, amazed that it was almost finished.  
"Yes." she said, " Come up to the sitting room around two, and we can use it. I also found something else that will help us, but we can talk about that later..."

After breakfast, time crawled. Harry chatted with Ginny for a bit, but soon lost interest. Sirius was off doing something for the Order, Lupin was at Hogwarts discussing something with Professor Dumbledore, Ron was still finishing his homework, and Hermione was adding some finishing touches to the potion. So, poor Harry was bored. He had practiced a few hexes he found in a good book that Sirius had given him earlier, and he had found most of them easy, except one. For some reason he couldn't get it quite right, and so he, in frustration, gave up.  
He wandered around aimlessly, until his wanderings brought him to the empty kitchen. He riffled through the many drawers, hoping to find something that would spark his interest. What he did find, however, was a rumpled little book entitled _'The Magic of Cooking: by Alianora Sparrowolf'_, and he strongly believed it to have belonged to Mrs. Weasley. Thinking that it might come in handy some day to know how to do magical cooking, Harry took the book, sat down at the table, and promptly began to read.  
The book was actually quite full of helpful tips and recipes, and Harry found himself enjoying it. He found out that you could conjure quite a few thing just out of air, depending on how good at magic you were, or you could just summon up an ingredient or two and mix them together. He decided to start out on making tea using magic, but the problem was that he had to be able to conjure up the teapot with it.  
Harry tried again and again, and, half an hour later was finally successful at conjuring tea in a teapot. The tea, he found, was watery, cold, and bland, but he was still pleased that he could make any tea at all, no matter how bad it tasted. He picked up the book, and turned the page, where there was directions on conjuring teabiscuts. It looked like it would be simpler than making tea, but Harry later found out that it was just as difficult.

Ron, who decided to take a break from homework and get a bite to eat, walked in on Harry looking very pissed off at a pile of very crumbly, burnt, and otherwise dreadful looking biscuits. He was mumbling something under his breath, and Ron caught the words "..._bloody biscuits_..."  
"Urm, Harry? What _are_ you doing?" Ron asked, eyeing the biscuits carefully.  
"Trying to make biscuits, obviously." answered Harry, not taking his eyes off the crumbly pile.  
"I gather it isn't coming along very well..." Ron commented.  
"Bloody things just keep coming out crumbly! I don't know _why_, either..." Harry mumbled, leaning in to examine the biscuits closer, as if they were hiding some secret from him.  
"...I see..." said Ron, "Well, it's almost two, so why don't we see how the potion is coming along?"  
Harry looked up from his pathetic, so- called biscuits. "Oh, all right." he said, and stood up from the table. "The biscuits can wait, I guess..." So they trudged up the stairs and into the odd- smelling sitting room, where Hermione was slowly stirring a small cauldron on the floor. When they came in, she looked up.  
"Just a few more minuets," she said, "and it will be finished."  
Harry and Ron flipped through the various books Hermione had found of the different types of animals, and some had examples of witches and wizards who had turned into that animal before. Harry found an interesting book about animals and their personalities, and started skimming through it, hoping to get insight as to what his animal might be. He found quite a few that would fit Hermione or Ron, but not many of the animals seemed to suit him.  
After a few minutes had passed, Hermione put down the spoon she was stirring with, and turned to face Harry and Ron.  
"It's done!" she said. "Get the parchment, and we can start."  
Harry grabbed a few sheets of parchment off of the nearby chair, and handed it to Hermione. Ron scooted a little closer to the cauldron, to get a better look of what was inside.  
"So... who wants to go first?" asked Harry. Hermione and Ron both looked at him.  
"Urm..." muttered Ron, thinking.  
"I'll go." said Hermione in a determined sort of voice. "after all, I made it..."  
Hermione took a spoonful of the potion, added a drop of blood from the pricked index finger of her wand hand, and dribbled it on the piece of parchment in front of her. As soon as the mixture hit the parchment, it began to dissolve, until there was not a trace of the substance left on the paper. They all waited with baited breath.  
"..is it working?" asked Ron, starting to get impatient.  
"It is supposed to take a bit to soak in, so just wait!" hissed Hermione.  
They all stared intently at the parchment. Then, and predicted, spidery writing began to form words on the paper. __

_** FOX  
  
Owl  
  
Badger  
  
Eagle**_

Hermione gazed at the paper silently, memorizing the four possible forms her Animagus could take.  
"Fox, owl, badger, eagle..." Harry muttered, looking at the sheet, "...all sound like they would fit you, Hermione."  
Hermione smiled, relieved she hadn't gotten anything silly or weak.  
"Who's next?" She asked the two boys.  
"...I guess I could go next..." volunteered Ron.  
"Alright then." said Hermione, moving away from her spot in front of the cauldron. she handed him the spoon, and the needle to prick his finger with. "Remember, prick the index finger on your wand hand, or else the spell won't work!" she reminded him.  
"I know, I know." he grumbled back. He then proceeded to get a spoonful of potion, put in the drop of his blood, and pour it on his empty paper.  
This time, the potion worked quicker, and in a matter of moments, the spidery writing was scrawling out words on his fresh parchment. ****

**_ Goat  
  
Lion  
  
Squirrel  
  
Ram_** **_  
  
_** "Em..." said Ron, looking down at the writing on the sheet. Apparently, he wasn't really expecting those animals. "...a goat, and... _SQUIRREL_?!"  
"Hey, at least you didn't get a flobberworm or a Blast-Ended Skrewt or something like that." consoled Harry. "and lions and goats aren't bad at all!"  
"Yeah, but" began Ron, "what if I turn into... a **SQUIRREL**?!"  
"Urm..." said Harry. "it would be good for spying on people and hiding and ...stuff?"  
"yeah, right." said Ron, somewhat sarcastically, even though he knew Harry had a point.  
"well, Harry, it's your turn." Hermione told Harry, and Ron moved out of the way while Harry picked up the necessary items.  
'alright' he thought to himself 'here goes...'  
He picked up the spoon, and dipped it into the potion. Then, he pricked the index finger of his right hand, and let the drop of blood fall into the spoon. When he was positive that the blood had mixed well enough with the potion, he dribbled the contents of the spoon onto his own blank sheet of parchment.  
This time, it took longer than it did for Ron or Hermione, but after a minute or two, the spidery writing was yet again forming words. __

_** Hawk  
  
Wolf  
  
Raven  
  
Black Useasu**_

Harry stared at the last word on the paper.  
"..._Black Useasu_? What the** heck** is that?" He asked, completely bewildered.  
Hermione thought a minute. "I don't know. Let me look it up." she opened up a book on animals, then handed one to Ron and Harry to look through.  
Harry flipped through the book he had, but it wasn't there.  
After a while, in which no one had any luck in finding Harry's mystery animal, Harry got a realization. The books they were all looking through had either non- magical or really common animals in them. What if the animal was some rare magical creature.  
"Hey, Hermione," he said. "Are there any books on the more rare magical creatures up here?"  
Hermione looked up from the book she was looking in.  
"Yes over there." she pointed to a pile of books. "I hadn't thought of looking in it, actually. it's called 'Magical Menagerie; the rare and exotic creatures of the magical world.'"  
Harry got up and walked over to the pile of books, and after a moment sorting, he found the book he was looking for. He walked back to where Ron and Hermione were sitting, and plopped down with the book.  
He flipped through and sure enough, near the end of the book, he found the animal.  
"Hey guys!" he called to Hermione and Ron. "I think I found it!"  
Hermione and Ron scooted over to read over Harry's shoulder, and he read aloud from the text.

_ " The Useasu is a very rare and magical bird, originating from Finland. It is a rather large bird, About twice the size of a full- grown phoenix, and has an extremely large wingspan. It comes in four different colors; Black, white, blue, and yellow. Each different color gives the bird different powers, but all the colors of Useasu have one power in common: shape shifting, which is why the Useasu is so hard to find. The feathers, tears, blood, talons, and bones of the Useasu all have highly potent magical properties, but if it is taken unwillingly from the bird, it's power is nullified, which is why the feathers, tears, etc. of the Useasu are all so highly valuable.  
The Yellow Useasu has magic centered on the sun, and daylight. It can take the form of anything that flies, weather it be a fly or a Dragon, but the Yellow Useasu is considered the weakest of it's kind.  
The Blue Useasu's magic is with water, like seas and rivers, but not with rain. It can change into any water creature at will.  
The White Useasu has purification magic, and also deals with truth and justice. It can take on the form of any animal that walks, and prefers the form of the unicorn. It is considered the second strongest of the Useasu.  
The Black Useasu is the rarest of its kind, and only few have been known to ever have existed. It has magic in all types, but likes to center on protection, and the defense of the helpless. It is a very sorrowful, and its cry is said to sound like a mix of flutes, and the crying of hundreds of people. When the Black Useasu looks a person in the eye, it can make them forget all their sorrows, acting sort of like the opposite of the dementor. It is said that the tear of the Black Useasu can bring life back to the newly dead, and replenish the soul when it has been taken, in most cases by dementors. The bird, said to be the most powerful of the four, can change into any animal at will, and can even mix some together to acquire it's need."_

"...Woah..." said Ron, dazed. "A bird that can change into _any_ animal?"  
"That could be very useful to have, Harry." Hermione told him seriously.  
"Yeah, but that probably won't be my animagus, it's at the bottom of the list." he pointed out.  
"The order doesn't really matter, Harry" said Hermione. "And, you know the other spell I said I found?"  
"What about it?" asked Ron.  
"Well, you see," Hermione said. "It's this strange ritual thing I found in this really old book. It's supposed to change you into the form of your Animagus, for a brief moment of time, without actually teaching you how to do it. The book said that it makes learning to be an Animagus a ton easier, since you would know what being your animal felt like. And it uses the exact same potion as the one we just used, so we won't have to make another one."  
"Are you saying we can find out what animal our form will be by just doing a little ritual?" asked Ron incredulously.  
She nodded.  
"Well?" said Harry. "What are we waiting for?"

----------------------------AUTHORS NOTE--------------------------------------------

Yes, I know, it's taken a while to get here, and it isn't very long.... but this is all I have. So there.

I am open to suggestions of which animal from their list Ron, Hermione, and Harry sould have as their animagus. I am having trouble deciding. And, for those out there who are wondering: this will _not_ be a superpower!Harry story. It might sorta seem like it at first, be later on, it will all be clear.

**Mayleesa: **Dude.... _one o'clock in the morning? _Erm.... glad you liked the sock.

**Krissy Riddle: **The dream came to be from a suddon urge I had whilst looking at a sock that was lying on the floor... it looked so... sad.... and dead-ish.

**The Vampire Story Hunter:** ? ::is even more confused::

**Shadowface: ::**sniffels**::** I know... the dream was probubly the saddest thing I have ever written.. ::sobs::

**BlackHuntress:** Don't worry, Harry will most definatley NOT be a unicorn animagus.

**EnterTheLion: **Melissa is not a witch, nor a Mary Sue, and the plan I had for her got thrown in the bin... so yah. And Harry will not be as powerful as Dumbeldore, at the moment, because he is only 15. Soon to be 16. and yah. No ships for Harry! I'm happy to know that there are some other people who believe Harry should be a bachelor.

**Squirrelsaretakingovertheworld: **Love the name!! Thanks for reviewing.


End file.
